The Experiment

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The Experiment

R

Released Sep 20, 2002

1h 56m

Mystery & Thriller

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

72%

Tomatometer

65 Reviews

88%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

As part of a psychological research project, twenty recruits will be divided up into prisoners and guards. In a controlled penitentiary-like environment, "prisoners" are incarcerated and ordered to obey the rules, "guards" are instructed to keep order. They will be thrown head-first into a two-week long examination of the effects of assigned roles, power and control, and won't be the same when it's over. But it's just a simulation. Or is it?

Critics Consensus

Das Experiment's knotty plot may not prove as revelatory as it promises, but it succeeds as an action film with a lot on its addled mind.

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Empire Magazine

Rated: 5/5

Dec 30, 2006

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Newsday

Rated: 2.5/4

May 28, 2003

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Marc Savlov

Austin Chronicle

Rated: 3/5

Dec 8, 2002

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Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

Never has there been such a chilling portrait of the human psyche.

May 7, 2009

Full Review

Michelle Thomas

Future Movies UK

Rated: 8/10

Apr 1, 2006

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Johnny Butane

Dread Central

Go in expecting whatever you want, chances are you're going to get something that much better.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 1, 2006

Full Review

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Audience Member

In fact, I expected a little more from this film. A film in the bowels of a research laboratory made according to a real event, where the whole experiment gets out of control, is certainly a tempting topic. Unfortunately, the content of the film is no longer like that. The whole film came to me a bit sloppy, but it certainly didn't bore me. I like movies from the prison environment, but probably because it was de facto just a game, as some actors in the film said, it didn't bother me that much, but I still think that you will find this film for your fans. I definitely rate this film positively, even though I expected more from it

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Audience Member

Worst movie .. no logic..

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

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Audience Member

Hitaan alun jälkeen ote tiukkenee loppua kohden.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

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Audience Member

Out of the fucking box, madness in its uncontrolled wilderness. Watching this makes me wanna tear faces apart.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Audience Member

daj mu na covek mokj, i ke vidis sto gomno e...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

william s

Dan sure would not want to be one of these prisoners....the horror builds as the abuse mounts to an inevitable end.Just sucks you in and never lets you go thriller.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Oliver Hirschbiegel

Director

Moritz Bleibtreu

Tarek Fahd

Maren Eggert

Dora

Christian Berkel

Steinhoff

Justus von Dohnányi

Berus - Strafvollzugsbeamter

Oliver Stokowski

Schütte

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Synopsis

As part of a psychological research project, twenty recruits will be divided up into prisoners and guards. In a controlled penitentiary-like environment, "prisoners" are incarcerated and ordered to obey the rules, "guards" are instructed to keep order. They will be thrown head-first into a two-week long examination of the effects of assigned roles, power and control, and won't be the same when it's over. But it's just a simulation. Or is it?

Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel
Producer: Norbert Preuss, Marc Conrad, Fritz Wildfeuer
Screenwriter: Mario Giordano, Mario Giordano, Don Bohlinger, Christoph Darnstädt
Distributor: Manga Films S.L., Samuel Goldwyn Company, IDP Distribution, Central Partnership, Senator Film, GAGA Communications [jp], Sherlock Media S.L., Nexo, Argentina Video Home, Metropolitan Filmexport [fr]
Production Co: Senator Film Produktion GmbH, Typhoon Film AG, Fanes Film, Seven Pictures
Rating: R (Language|Disturbing Situations|Nudity|Sexuality|Strong Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language: German
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 20, 2002, Original
Box Office (Gross USA): $141.1K
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)